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How it Works |
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| Here is a 3D CAD drawing of a typical 9m (30ft) sloop rigged sailing yacht, steered by tiller, and fitted with The Steersman |  |
| This is the cockpit showing the port and starboard Steersman units fitted |  |
| This close up view on the starboard unit shows the jib sheet winch mounted on a platform which can swing forward and back. The pivot can be seen here, just behind the winch. The orange lines are shock cord in a block and tackle arrangement, which form an adjustable spring which is tensioned to balance the load in the jib sheet, shown in blue. The shock cord tension is adjusted using the jam cleat, which you can see mounted on the platform. |  |
| In this view the model is sailing close hauled: the wind is indicated by the three arrows |  |
| Here the wind has altered so the yacht is sailing too far
down wind, and the pressure in the sails has increased.
The Steersman uses this increase in pressure to steer the boat back on course |
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| Zooming in to the cockpit
The increase in wind pressure also increases the load in the jib sheet. This tension is stronger than load in the shock cord spring, so the winch platform swings forward, and the boat is steered back up wind via the linking arms. |
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| In this view, the boat has
sailed too far up into the wind. This causes pressure in the
sails to drop.
The Steersman uses this drop in pressure to steer the boat back on course |
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| The drop in pressure in the
sail causes the jib sheet to become slack.
The tension in the shock cord is now stronger, which pulls the winch platform back, which steers the boat down wind, via the linking arms until balance in tension is restored. |
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| For down wind sailing, or
sailing with the wind on the quarter, shown here; the rules reverse.
If the boat veers upwind, pressure in the jib increases, and if the boat veers downwind, the pressure in the jib decreases.
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| Zooming in to the cockpit
The jib sheet is fed through a block so that it pulls the winch platform towards the stern while the shock cord spring is re-positioned along the side deck so that it pulls the winch platform forward. This arrangement makes a very stable and safe way for long distance down wind sailing. With the correct setting there is no danger of an uncontrolled gybe, of or broach. This arrangement can also be used with a spinnaker |
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| For goose wing sailing, the
rules revert back to normal.
Although the Steersman is effective on this point of sailing, because of the light tension in the jib sheet, adjustment is very sensitive, and requires a constant watch. Sailing with a spinnaker also works on this point of sailing, however we recommend that this should be attempted by very experienced crews only. |
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